ASWOU

February 26, 2025

Written by: Sadie Latimer | News Editor

Western prides itself on its campus community, where students are supported and uplifted. Part of that support comes from in-person classes, with small class sizes and personalized experiences for students.

Western’s provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jose Coll is leading the charge in reducing the amount of online classes offered at Western in favor of in-person instruction. He created a working committee — the Undergraduate Course Modality Task Force — to conduct research and ultimately recommend what percentage of courses should be taught online.

The task force is being led by Chelle Batchelor, dean of library and academic innovation.

According to Batchelor, “The task force is currently in the process of gathering information to inform the recommendation we have been asked to present to the provost and Faculty Senate in spring term.”

Fall and Winter terms were dedicated to determining what would be best for students when it comes to online classes. The task force will share their findings in the Spring term, which will help the university move forward with the change.

The task force is concentrating on all aspects of online learning. “The recommendation of the committee will consider all modalities with an online component: online asynchronous, online synchronous (Zoom classes) and hybrid,” Batchelor stated.

As of now, the task force isn’t focusing on the fully online majors, such as the ASL interpreting program. The provost’s goal is to limit first-year students to only in-person classes starting Fall 2025 unless their declared major is fully online.

This potential decision will only affect the mode of the coursework, and won’t result in faculty cuts. “Teaching a course in person requires the same amount of FTE as teaching a course online,” according to Batchelor. FTE — full-time equivalence — indicates and measures the workload of faculty.

The potential reduction in online courses has been one focal point of the Faculty Senate, which is made up of representatives from the different departments at Western.

“In the December meeting of the Faculty Senate, faculty discussed concerns about program needs, student needs, student engagement and success, and faculty representation on the task force,” Batchelor stated. “After that meeting, Faculty Senate identified a faculty member to serve on the task force.”

Not only has the task force started working more closely with the faculty, but they have also begun to work with ASWOU in order to engage with Western’s students. Specifically, they are working with Senate President Maggie Bartosovsky and Senator Briana McNeel to bridge the gap between the committee and Western’s students.

Batchelor and the committee are also reaching out to students through Wolfie, the chatbot that sends messages to the student body. Wolfie’s text was sent out Feb. 17. The text also included a short survey that students are encouraged to complete.

The survey and other student input is important for making sure that the university’s decision reflects the needs and wants of all students.

Any decision of the university comes with concerns and opinions from Western’s community. Some students are concerned with how class availability will be affected. Students with full-time jobs are concerned with how they will fit in-person classes into their busy schedules. These concerns are being addressed by the task force, and it is up to them and the university to identify solutions that will benefit the students and the community.

“Over and over and over, I hear comments from students about how important the WOU community is to their success,” President Jesse Peters stated in his report during a Board of Trustees meeting. “And when they talk about it, they talk about being physically here on campus and interacting with peers and faculty and staff. Whatever the college experience is, it simply can’t be replicated on Zoom. And the strength of Western has always been, it seems to me, the way that the campus functions to support students and build community. I will continue to focus on restoring our campus to the physically present, active and engaged community it was before the pandemic.”

The COVID-19 pandemic was a major setback for many schools, including Western, and it will be difficult to rebuild the in-person community to what it was previously. President Peters, Provost Coll and the Undergraduate Course Modality task force have a massive undertaking, but are starting relatively small with hopes to reduce the online courses that are offered to first-year students.

It remains to be seen whether or not the provost and the president’s vision of the upcoming fall term will come to fruition. First, the task force must figure out what percentage of courses should be online, taking into account what opinions the students and faculty have voiced. Then, once they present their findings, the university can come to an informed decision that will ultimately benefit Western’s community.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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The Incidental Fee Committee

February 12, 2025

Written by: Sadie Latimer | News Editor

Students often wonder what all of the fees paid alongside tuition go towards. One of these payments is the incidental fee, which funds many campus amenities such as ASWOU, Abby’s House and athletics. All students are required to pay the incidental fee as part of their tuition due to Oregon regulations.

The Incidental Fee Committee — IFC — is tasked with deciding the amount of the fee and overseeing the distribution of the money. It has nine members and three advisors, with all of the members being students.

Students can either run for election, be nominated by Western president Jesse Peters or be nominated by ASWOU President Brenda Rocio Martinez.

One student who was appointed by President Peters is Cody Dickenson, a junior majoring in public health. Dickenson wants to make sure students know what they’re paying for so they can take advantage of the clubs, organizations and events. “It’s always great in any area to have knowledge of where your money is going to and have a say in what to do with it,” Dickenson said.

The Committee Chair is Rhylie Sevits, a senior and gerontology major at Western.

According to Sevits, if an event, organization or club is funded by the IFC, the committee’s logo must be present on any posters on campus. “Once you know that, you can literally see where your money is going,” Sevits said.

Another member, Nathaniel Rivera, said that it’s important to have the incidental fee because it helps support students. A portion of the funds goes toward the payroll of many campus jobs. Without the fee, many programs would not exist, and many student workers would not be getting paid.

IFC members know that students have a right to be aware of where their fees are going, and they also have a right to voice their opinions about the incidental fee. The committee is holding hearings that are open to Western students who want to advocate for different distributions of the funds. The open hearings will be February 24, 26 and 27. More information on the hearings can be found on the IFC website under “IFC Meeting Schedule.”

“I want to emphasize going to the open hearings … getting your voice out there and being involved in this process,” Dickenson said.

The process of deciding the fee amount is essentially a small debate, according to IFC member Aidan VanDyke. The committee — along with its advisors, ASWOU representatives and any other students who wish to participate — look at the fee from the previous year and discuss whether they want to raise, lower or keep it relatively the same. They also take into account the opinions and requests of students who speak at the open hearings. Once the IFC is satisfied with the proposed budget, it goes through several layers of people and organizations, including the ASWOU senate, President Peters and the Board of Trustees.

The process is long and diligent, making sure that the programs included in the fee have the money they need to provide the best experience possible for Western students.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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February 5, 2025

Written by: Sadie Latimer | News Editor

The Associated Students of Western — ASWOU — is Western’s official student government. It is run by students, for students.

ASWOU is extremely active on campus, representing students’ interests and needs, overseeing clubs, putting together programs on campus and ensuring that students have their voices heard.

ASWOU President Brenda Rocio Martinezis a fourth-year student at Western, double majoring in communications and public policy and administration.

“My role is (mainly) representing students in general and having their best interest in mind,” Rocio Martinez said. As a student herself, Rocio Martinez is always looking for ways to support her peers. “We always like to put our ear to the ground and see (what students want and need.)”

ASWOU not only supports individual students but student clubs as well. Joining a club is how Rocio Martinez first got involved on campus, followed by her becoming a justice in the judicial branch of ASWOU. After that, she was ASWOU’s director of PR, then, finally, the president.

Rocio Martinez knows the importance of getting involved through clubs on campus, so she strives to make sure the clubs have the resources, training and support they need. One of her goals is to allow the clubs to collaborate and connect with each other.

“I just want to be able to serve students,” Rocio Martinez said. “We are student-funded, so we’re here for (students).” ASWOU is funded by the IFC — Incidental Fee Committee. Students pay a set amount as part of their tuition and fees, which goes towards several student activities on campus, including but not limited to ASWOU, student media, Abby’s House, WOLF Ride, athletics, campus recreation, childcare and more.

Every person involved in ASWOU is dedicated to making their fellow students’ voices heard. “People in higher positions like faculty and staff are wanting the students’ perspective, and ASWOU can give that perspective,” Rocio Martinez said.

“Elections should be coming pretty soon for anyone who wants my position in the future. And I will say this: it’s not hard, it’s fun,” Rocio Martinez said. She loves getting to be more involved in her community as ASWOU president. According to Rocio Martinez, the position has helped her become a better leader. It has also been helpful for her field of study and will likely apply to the career path she wishes to follow. ASWOU elections will begin at the start of spring term. For students who wish to run for election, applications open March 8.

ASWOU has weekly public meetings on Fridays in the Calapooia room of the Werner University Center. The executive branch of ASWOU holds their meeting at 12 p.m. and the senate meets at 2 p.m.

The judicial branch’s meetings are not weekly, instead they are held “when there’s work to do,” Rocio Martinez said. “That entails rules being broken by any clubs or any students, if there are any concerns or if people just want an interpretation of a law.”

For students who have concerns, comments or questions, an ASWOU senate meeting is the place to be. The senate focuses on things such as bylaws, getting involved with the clubs they oversee and the needs of students.

If students have large concerns, they can fill out an ASWOU student feedback form, which goes to the senate. The form is located on the student portal under the My Programs tab.

Rocio Martinez knows how difficult it is to advocate for every student, which is why it is important for students to bring their concerns and feedback to ASWOU’s attention. A community thrives when everyone supports each other and works together to make positive changes.

“We ensure that students are well represented if they feel anything should change,” Rocio Martinez said. “Change comes with many people. It takes a village to make true change.”

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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Who is Morgan Pemberton?

February 5, 2025

Written by: Sadie Latimer | News Editor

If there is an event occurring on Western’s campus, one student will surely be there: Morgan Pemberton. Pemberton is a junior at Western, double majoring in psychology and ASL studies and minoring in social science and is involved in many clubs and organizations on campus.

Pemberton took ASL classes all through high school and decided to pursue it in college. Western has a notable ASL program, which positively influenced her decision to enroll. She decided to study psychology and social science because of the classes she took that were outside her major being surprisingly enjoyable. “I like to dabble a little bit,” Pemberton said. “I like to take random classes.”

Pemberton is an out-of-state student and has moved around the US. “I was born outside of Chicago. I’ve also lived in Colorado, and I graduated high school in Arizona,” she said.

By nature, Pemberton is a very outgoing person. “I really like to talk,” she said. “I’m very social. I just like to be around people.” On the flip side, she also loves tuning out the world and listening to audiobooks.

“If you ever see me with my AirPods in, just know an audiobook is on full volume,” Pemberton joked.

Along with being a student, Pemberton also has multiple jobs on campus. She works as ASWOU’s judicial administrator, overseeing the justices, holding disciplinary hearings, interpreting rules and adding new rules to the constitution.

Pemberton works the front desk for academic advising, where she “(answers) a lot of phone calls and (connects) people to different places on campus.” She also leads tours and participates in panels as a campus ambassador, and is the coordinator for Destination Western — a two-week-long orientation program for incoming students.

“I’ve been invested in (Destination Western) since I was a participant when I was an incoming freshman, then I was a peer advisor my sophomore year and then last year I was a lead peer advisor,” Pemberton said. Now, she gets to supervise the peer advisors and lead staff training.

Pemberton is involved in many of the campus’ clubs, being the vice president of the ASL club, the social media manager for the Native Indigenous Culture Club as well as a member of Kappa Delta Chi — Western’s first-generation student sorority. She is also a multicultural representative mentor.

Pemberton is passionately involved with everything she has committed to. According to Pemberton, she is “just naturally a very cognitively high-energy person.” She thrives with lots of mental stimulation from her hobbies, work, clubs and her other involvements.

“My biggest tip for people if they want to do more is: you (have) to take care of your biological needs.” Sleep is very important to Pemberton, and she makes sure to get at least eight hours of rest every night. She also makes sure to drink plenty of water and eat nutritious food to keep herself energized for her many activities and responsibilities.

Pemberton keeps busy but still takes care of her mental health by making sure she is happy and fulfilled by everything she does. “I try to align what I do with what I want to do in the future and what aligns with my personal goals,” Pemberton said.

As for the future, she has plans after she graduates to continue her education and get her master’s degree. Pemberton, like many students, is apprehensive about what the future holds. She has fostered a great community at Western, but she knows that eventually, it will be time to move on.

“I am one of those people who’s always seeking out something new,” Pemberton said.

Before Pemberton goes on her post-education journey, she still has the rest of her junior and senior year to look forward to. This year, she’s especially excited for the annual Pow Wow, hosted by the Multicultural Student Union — MSU.

“This year (the Native Indigenous Culture) Club and MSU are teaming up,” Pemberton said. “We’re doing the Pow Wow this year. It’s been a lot of work and we’ve been really trying to put it together.” The 2025 Pow Wow is scheduled for April 19.

Pemberton may only be a junior, but she has sage words of wisdom for her fellow students: “Be open and rely on each other.” Pemberton wants students to know that they shouldn’t be afraid to open up and share things with each other.

“We live in a world where we are taught to not impose on each other or not be too much for other people,” Pemberton said. That, however, is what a community is for. Pemberton advised that people in a community are meant to rely on each other. Students shouldn’t be afraid of being “too much” for the people around them.

“That starts with you; you can’t just expect people to rely on you. You’ve got to open the door.”

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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ASWOU elections

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

The Associated Students of Western are expecting to elect President Brenda Rocio Martinez, Vice President Fernando Robles and Judicial Administrator Morgan Pemberton into office for the 2024-2025 academic school year. The trio is running as a team and remains unopposed.

Expected incoming president, Rocio Martinez, described herself as a proud first-generation Latina student at Western. “I am running for ASWOU President to represent and support all students who want their voices heard. My candidacy is driven by my understanding of the unique challenges and aspirations of being the first in my family to pursue higher education,” she wrote on Presence, the website permitting for the ASWOU election.

“I am committed to using my and others’ perspectives to advocate for crucial changes that support our diverse student populations, ensuring that all voices are heard and valued.”

Rocio Martinez explained her initiatives to be primarily focused on bridging connections between students and higher-ups in attempts to “enrich the university experience.” Simultaneously, Rocio Martinez pledges to expand relationships, resources and support for everyone.

Robles, running for Vice President, left a statement as well: “I’m running for vice president because I would want to make an impact on campus.”

Judicial Administrator candidate Pemberton stated, “I’m running for judicial office because I care deeply about our campus community and making sure everyone’s voice is heard… One thing you should know about me is that I’m all about diversity and inclusion. I truly believe that embracing our differences makes our community stronger and more vibrant.”

Pemberton also promoted creating a collective judicial system that properly reflects the campus’s values and promotes fairness and equality in the community.

ASWOU opened elections March 8 and cannot conclude until 10 percent of the student body has voted — allowing for enough student voices to be heard so that the results can be deemed fair.

All other open positions allow for write-in candidates, meaning that anyone may be named to potentially fill the position. The write-in positions include the following: Senate President; three openings on the Incidental Fee Committee; 11 openings for ASWOU Senate: Senate Candidates; and three openings for the ASWOU Judicial Board: Judicial Candidates.
As of May 29, voting is still ongoing. To vote, students must list their V number and certify that they are Western students and will abide by the election results.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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Meet Hunter Hall

Written by: Hannah Field | News Editor

A few things to note about Hunter Hall, the Associated Students of Western Oregon University President: his love for Western is reflected in a Naruto headband engraved with the Western logo, he works with graphic design and used to be deathly afraid of clowns.

Only two of those topics are relevant to his time at Western.

Hall began his college career at Portland Community College and transferred to Western in 2020, with three years of experience in student government under his belt. During the pandemic, learning was online, and Hall was merely a virtual student. He had little resources and company on campus, but he knew one thing: he wanted to be involved with student government at Western.

His first and second years consisted of student work at the entry level: Destination Western and tutoring at the Math Center. Eventually, he found ASWOU, climbing the ranks to his current position as the President.

“I just slowly integrated myself and started working toward the things I wanted to do here,” said Hall. “I needed to be in a position of power so I could better help support the students like me, who might not have friends or family here, or like many people, to support them … I really tried to throw myself into the sandcastle elbows-deep and get super, duper involved — just (having) many jobs from my first and second years here that helped me get to where I am now.”

Technically, Hall graduated with his Bachelor’s in June of 2023: one in Mathematics, and then another in Interdisciplinary Studies with a double minor in Communications and Writing. Currently, Hall is a graduate student for a Masters degree in the Art of Teaching.

“I’m going to use my math undergrad and then my MAT to teach at the middle school level for about ten years. And then I hope to become a principal of a school, and then eventually a superintendent of a school district. It’s like I said: if you really want to make a change, you have to integrate yourself well.”

Another fact about Hunter Hall: he plans extensively for his future.

Although Hall won’t be ASWOU President next year, he’ll be on campus as a building manager and volunteering at Western’s garden — seeds he planted, a mark to be left behind as he continues to embark on his ten-year plan.

Contact the author at howlnews@mail.wou.edu

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ASWOU voter guide

Western students answer the question: “What is your favorite season and why?”

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Spring term is election season for the Associated Students of Western Oregon University — Western’s student government. Campaign Week began on Monday, April 18 with a “meet the candidate” event in the Werner University Center Summit. On Thursday, April 21, there will be a candidate forum on Zoom at 5 p.m. Students will be able to vote starting April 25 until April 29 on Presence, through their Student Portal.

In preparation for Campaign Week, candidates were asked why they decided to run and what they plan to do if elected, find their answers below:

Candidates for ASWOU President:

Gheraldy Bobadilla-Cruz (he/him/his/el)

Major: education

Current class standing: sophomore

A current ASWOU Senator, Cruz has wanted to run for President since he arrived at Western, and wants to give a voice to all students.

“I’m running for ASWOU President because I believe (Western) is at a pivotal turning point when considering its future. I want to come in and work alongside our new President to help (Western) flourish in this new era… I will make sure that more support is given to all clubs and organizations here on campus. I will ensure that students are being fully appreciated and acknowledged for all the work they do to make (Western) a campus full of diversity and inclusion. It’s time to hold (Western) responsible as an institution to follow through and act on its statements of being a welcoming campus for all. It’s time to make (Western) more than just a school.”

Kodee Harwood (she/her/hers)

Major: communication studies

Current class standing: junior

Harwood has been interested in ASWOU since 2019, and hopes to bring clubs back in full force, while also working to improve accessibility.

“I want to improve campus and campus culture. … There’s always room for improvement and I’d like to start improving (Western) and make students feel safe on campus and proud that they go to (Western). … If I get elected ASWOU president my office will always be open to any student(s) that have concerns or questions and I will try my best to make change happen and try to support you as best I can.”

Candidates for ASWOU Vice President:

Hunter Hall (he/him/his)

Major: mathematics

Current class standing: senior

As a student government veteran, Hall aims to use his skills to amplify student voices, with an emphasis on safety.

“I’m running for ASWOU Vice President for a couple of reasons. The first and most important to me is I want to find ways to improve the safety of our campus. I want to do this while also addressing accessibility issues that students face here. … I have (four) years of experience within student government where I’ve worked in various leadership positions. During that time I have been able to learn a lot about what it means to be the student voice. I plan to use my experience to act as that bridge that connects the (Western) staff and students (together).”

Owen Hubers (he/him/his)

Major: business

Current class standing: junior

Passionate about club engagement, Hubers (pictured left) hopes to connect students through Discord and improve event planning.

“I want voters to know that I am listening to literally everything they say and will work my very hardest to make sure college life at (Western) is the best it can possibly be. I will use every last resource we have to help students here thrive. I will always want to and be willing to talk with any student or anybody at all who is willing to provide me with feedback. I will do the best I can to work with the various members of ASWOU and (Western) as a community. I will do my best … to solve current or future problems and implement new resources or improve existing resources.”

Candidate for Senate President:

Connor Goehring (he/him/his)

Major: ASL studies and education

Current class standing: sophomore

As Residence Hall Association President, Goehring aims to use his leadership skills to improve communication and make campus better for students.

“There is so much inequity here at (Western) and I don’t plan on trying to fix the broken system we have in place right now, but to rewrite the whole system entirely to make a better, working system that supports our students. … I’m qualified to make a difference and be the advocate you need to make (Western) a safe and inclusive environment for the (campus’s) diverse community.”

Candidate for Senate:

Samy Reyes (he/him/his)

Major: business

Current class standing: sophomore

As a new student at Western, Reyes hopes to use the Senate position to gain experience in student government.

“I would like to be further involved in our school and the community of our students. I believe it is a civic responsibility as students to be engaged and involved in our school’s topics and issues. I seek to hear student’s thoughts and concerns on our campus, as I am going to be a voice that represents them. I run for the senate not only to gain experience, but to work towards new policies that will benefit the interests of our fellow students.”

Candidate for Judicial Administrator:

Coral Davis (she/they)

Major: education

Current class standing: first-year

A PLUS Team member and WOU Ambassador, Davis is excited to bring leadership experience to ASWOU and work with the Justices.

“My goal for when I am elected for Judicial Administrator is to create a more inclusive campus. I feel that accommodations for students are not being followed through. I also want to try and bring more awareness to all of the clubs that we have on campus as well as bring light to all (of) what our university has to offer to its new and current students.”

Candidate for Incidental Fee Committee Member:

Dennis Long (he/him/his)

Major: information systems

Current class standing: senior

As an IFC Chair, Long was able to work on the IFC Funded Areas web page, allowing anyone to see who received funding and why.

“I hope to help organize a better training schedule so that new IFC members can feel prepared to make these difficult decisions. There are changes to be made in the bylaws to make this process smoother, and I hope to actively engage in supporting the future of IFC and (Western)! After serving as IFC Chair this year, I discovered that there were many different student voices feeling left out or ignored. As the IFC, we did what we could to ensure that those voices were heard through anonymous forms and Open Hearings. I did my best to reach out to students and tried to forward their feedback to IFC.”

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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Online courses: yea or nay?

The Incidental Fee Committee

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ASWOU elections

Meet Hunter Hall

ASWOU voter guide

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